US professional rugby a step closer as five teams begin training for kick-off

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PRO Rugby will announce the move on Friday, a little over two weeks before the first round of matches. Muliaina – who is currently contracted to Zebre in Italy – will play for San Francisco.

They open the competition at Sacramento on Sunday 17 April. Ohio are at Denver the same day; San Diego will play for the first time the following weekend.

“I am delighted and looking forward to being part of rugby history in the States,” said Muliaina.

“From initially just going to study at Life West Chiropractic College in San Francisco to now being able to continue to play rugby, I am grateful that Pro Rugby and Life West Chiropractic have provided me the opportunity to do both.”

Muliaina, 35 and Samoa-born, won 100 caps for New Zealand, scoring 34 tries and captaining the team three times. The second All Black to play 100 Tests – after Richie McCaw – he was part of the squad which won the 2011 World Cup, in which his final Test was the quarter-final victory over Argentina. He also won a Commonwealth Games sevens gold medal in 2002.

He played Super Rugby for the Blues and Chiefs and has also played in Japan, for NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes, and in Ireland for Connacht.

“We are delighted to bring Mils to the United States and look forward to seeing him in San Francisco’s colours this spring”, said PRO Rugby director of rugby Steve Lewis.

“He has a terrific track record and we are sure he will bring great knowledge and experience to both the league and our younger players in what are exciting times for American rugby.”

Another Life West player, the former New Zealand sevens representative Orene Ai’i, will also play for the San Francisco team, while the Springbok flanker Pedrie Wannenburg will play for Denver and Italy back Mirco Bergamasco is with Sacramento.

PRO Rugby has also signed Canadian and US internationals. The bulk of the playing base is drawn from the American club game. A US squad mostly drawn from such club teams recently finished second in the first Americas Rugby Championship, beating Canada and Chile, drawing with an Argentina XV and losing to Brazil and Uruguay.

On Friday, Muliaina added: “I’m excited to be able to play in the San Francisco Bay area and to work along side and share my experience with some talented young players.”